Never Let You Go
by Mrs. Elizabeth Gibbs
Summary: "I remember tears streaming down your face when I said, I'll never let you go." Jibbs song-fic to 'Safe and Sound' by Taylor Swift featuring The Civil Wars. Tag to 'Jeopardy'. Established Jibbs relationship. One-shot.


A/N: So I established that I was going to use this song with as many of my pairings as possible; I've already used it for Caskett, and now I'm using it for my favorite pairing- Jibbs. (There are also plans for DEmily and EO fics as well- those should be up within the next few days)

'Safe and Sound' is from 'The Hunger Games' movie, and it's one of my favorites. It's sung by Taylor Swift and features The Civil Wars, and I highly recommend listening to it.

This is also a tag to 'Jeopardy'; takes place the night of the kidnapping, and Jenny and Gibbs are in an established relationship.

Thanks to Meg for the use of Marcie. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or the lyrics; that would be DPB and Taylor Swift.

* * *

><p>He had to keep repeating to himself that she was home.<p>

Every few minutes he would look over at her, reminding himself that she was alive and safe and here, and not still in the airplane hangar, giving him subtle clues over the telephone as to where she was. She'd look at him and send him a small smile, her green eyes catching his as she sat by the fire with her mug of tea.

She looked tired, he noticed, and decided that maybe it was time to go to bed. He stood, stretching his back, before offering Jenny his hand.

"Time to go to bed?" he asked, and she nodded, standing easily with his help. She made a quick detour into the kitchen to rinse out her mug and place it on the drying rack before meeting him at the stairs, slipping her fingers into his as they climbed to the second floor.

Jenny took a quick shower while Jethro got into a pair of blue flannel pajama pants paired with a tight black t-shirt, getting into bed and resting one of his arms underneath his head on the pillow, the other resting lightly on his chest. A few minutes later, Jenny came out of the bathroom dressed in one of his old USMC t-shirts and a pair of black cotton boyshort panties, her hair damp and smelling like strawberries. She flicked off the bathroom light before climbing into bed, yawning slightly as she got under the covers.

Turning to him, she looked at him tiredly, her green eyes drooping.

"Thank you for staying tonight," she said quietly, one of her hands linking with his on his chest. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her palm, receiving a small smile in return.

"Always," he replied simply, shrugging. She kissed him lightly before curling into his chest, closing her eyes as her body relaxed even further. He smelled like coffee and aftershave, and she inhaled deeply as she was pulled deeper into the blackness of sleep.

_I remember tears streaming down your face  
>When I said, I'll never let you go<br>When all those shadows almost killed your light  
>I remember you said, Don't leave me here alone<br>But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight_

He was awoken by a cry, and he opened his eyes, greeted with Jenny's dark bedroom. He could hear her gasping next to him, and as he turned to her to try to comfort her, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Shh, Jen, it's alright," he said softly, one hand resting on her waist, the other cupping her cheek gently. Tears hit his palm as he brushed his thumb over her cheekbone, and he pulled her closer to kiss her forehead lightly. "I've got you Jenny."

She continued to sob quietly against his chest, her tears wetting his shirt as she tried to calm down. He rubbed her back, pressing kisses to her hair and forehead as he held her, content to let her ride out her emotion before saying anything other than a few words of comfort.

After a few minutes she was able to control herself enough to sit up and flick on the bedside light, flooding the bed with a yellow-ish glow. Grabbing a few tissues, she blew her nose and wiped away her tears, calming down slowly. Jethro merely watched her, waiting for her to talk to him, knowing not to push her.

"I had a nightmare," she stated after a few moments, playing with the unused tissue in her hands. "You didn't get to me in time."

"But I did," he said simply, and she nodded.

"I know that," she replied, looking up at him with reddened eyes. She bit her lip, looking down at her hands again.

"I'll ever let you go again, Jenny," he told her, tilting her chin up with one hand so that her eyes met his. "I promise you that."

She nodded, biting her lip as more tears came. He brushed them away easily, pulling her closer to him so that h could kiss her. She came readily, melting against him as her hands pushed into his hair.

"Thank you for not leaving me here alone," she whispered, pulling back from the kiss to see his eyes. His face softened, one hand coming up to cup her cheek again.

"Never."

_Just close your eyes,  
>the sun is going down.<br>You'll be alright-  
>no one can hurt you now.<br>Come morning light  
>You and I'll be safe and sound<em>

The morning dawned quiet and beautiful, sunlight filtering in through the white lace curtains. Jenny had moved away in the night, her back facing him as she slept, her shoulders moving slightly as she exhaled.

Rubbing at his eyes, Jethro slipped from the bed without waking Jenny, heading to the bathroom. He turned the water on for a shower, running his hand through his hair tiredly. Pulling his t-shirt over his head, he stepped into the spray, the hot water running over his skin. He was just grabbing the shampoo when he felt a feminine hand at his waist, the sound of the shower door closing following a moment later.

Turning, he caught sight of Jenny, green eyes still a little sleepy as she wrapped her arms around him. The water sprayed around them as he held her, words not necessary in that moment. Jenny pressed a kiss to his shoulder, looking up at him through the falling water.

He was completely unprepared when she pressed him against the tiled shower wall- but he wasn't about to complain. She was almost like Jenny again, and he smiled into their kiss.

_Don't you dare look out your window  
>Darling, everything's on fire<br>The war outside our door keeps raging on  
>Hold onto this lullaby<br>Even when the music's gone  
>Gone<em>

He knew he could never protect Jenny from everything; she was an adult, and a strong, independent individual that could look out for herself. It stop him from wishing that the quiet moments in his basement like this could last forever.

She was sanding the boat, moving the plane over the wood in smooth strokes. Dressed in a simple green t-shirt and a pair of black yoga pants with her hair up in a ponytail, she looked beautiful to him. He leaned back against his work bench, taking a swig of his beer as his eyes moved over his lover.

She turned and caught him staring, and with a half-smile came over to him, his hands moving up his legs to rest dangerously close to his hips. He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her jaw lightly.

He held her close, the ancient radio playing some eighties rock tune that he vaguely remembered dancing with Shannon to. Jenny's hands slipped around his waist, her face burrowing into his neck. Her breath was warm, and he held her tighter.

Even if the rest of their lives were crazy and unsure and hectic, these quiet moments, with the lullaby of breathing and sanding and old radios, were all that mattered in their relationship.

_Just close your eyes  
>The sun is going down<br>You'll be alright  
>No one can hurt you now<br>Come morning light  
>You and I'll be safe and sound<em>  
><em>Just close your eyes<br>You'll be alright  
>Come morning light,<br>You and I'll be safe and sound..._

The house was quiet as she unlocked it, shutting the door behind her. She threw her keys into the dish and set her purse down as well, hanging up her coat. She felt so tired.

She was walking to the kitchen when she heard the scampering footsteps, and she dropped to her knees with a smile when a furry brown shape came into view.

"Hey baby, how are you?" she asked the chocolate lab puppy, petting behind the dog's ears. "How's my Marcie doing? Did Daddy feed you already?"

"Yes, she's fed, Jen."

A deep male voice came from the doorway, and she looked over, sending her lover a smile.

"Hello to you too, Jethro," she said, giving Marcie one last kiss before standing up, Jethro meeting her in the middle of the kitchen. He kissed her languidly, enjoying it, both of them knowing they had the weekend off to spend together- one they needed.

He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. Jenny closed her eyes, leaning into him as she inhaled his scent deeply.

"I love you," she whispered, the words lingering in the air for a moment. He hugged her closer, eyes closed as well.

"Always."


End file.
